The Computerisation of Medical Records - and the Statutory Need

The attached Dec 3rd report in the Sunday Telegraph must be only one of many in the press, expressing the concerns of patients over having their medical records entered into the new centralised computerised system. 


1. Whatever its merits, there can be no question that this new system constitutes a “significant change” in GP services, and that therefore our PCT, not to say London’s SHA, has a statutory duty under Section 11 of the 20001 Act, to undertake formal consultations with the public on this Government initiative.   


1.1 The attached Jan 6th letter from the Chief Executive of the then SW London SHA, confirms this statutory requirement, that is further strengthened by the moral obligation set out in the Compact agreement that the PCT has with the voluntary sector.  Just as “SHA and PCT configuration across the country” required consultation, so does the national introduction of this computerised system, irrespective of any local tests that might be undertaken. 


2. The Telegraph highlights possible breaches of the Data Protection Act and the Human Rights Act, and they have their importance.  But the strongest protest has to be made over the Government’s precipitate and active implementation of this initiative - before any statutory consultation  - as seen by: 



- the eight page letter of Dec 1st from “NHS Connecting for Health”, the Government agency responsible for the system;


- the announcement that the first records will be uploaded onto the computer system in the spring of next year;


- the nebulous statement from the DoH (the report’s final para) giving details of the “service”; 


3. The concerns of the BMA are covered in the Telegraph report, but even more pointed are the concerns of the “iSOFT GP User Group”, set out in the attached letter.  This failure to use the computer expertise of the clinicians most involved, adds to the concerns of the public from a practical perspective - quite apart from any breach of statute. 


4. This protest from Richmond’s voluntary sector requests the PCT to put in hand the consultation that is required by statute, and is therefore not subject to any opposition from the SHA or the DoH - though doubtless its contents would be helped by their support.  It is also to be hoped that the Council and its Health Scrutiny Committee, the PCT’s statutory partner, will join in this request. 


Yours sincerely, 
 


Francis King